Anit Thapa, who leads the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) that politically controls the Darjeeling hills, has refused to meet the Centre-appointed interlocutor, Pankaj Kumar Singh, posing a major challenge for the official currently in Darjeeling.
"I do not want to be trapped in a BJP net which has sent an interlocutor just ahead of an election for their political gains,” Thapa told The Telegraph on Sunday.
The BGPM controls the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), most of the panchayats and the municipalities of Darjeeling hills.
"Let the Prime Minister or the Union home minister declare Gorkhaland (as a state), (if that happens) I will not contest the upcoming election," said Thapa. "Sending an interlocutor ahead of the election is just to fool us and we will not be fooled."
Thapa’s stand comes close to the heels of chief minister Mamata Banerjee opposing the appointment of the interlocutor. Thapa’s party is an ally of the Trinamool Congress.
“An interlocutor was also appointed during the 2007 Gorkhaland agitation. What was the outcome?" asked Thapa. "The BJP is represented here by its MP and also an MLA. If they actually desire to grant statehood, all that is needed is for the BJP party to place a bill in Parliament."
Interlocutor Singh has stated that he would take forward the dialogue and recommend measures for “social economic upliftment, cultural recognition, preservation of cultural heritage of Gorkhas in the region and address their aspiration within the constitutional framework."
Most political parties that met Singh on Saturday and Sunday demanded statehood or Union territory status for Darjeeling.